Control mechanism



Feb. 2, 1932. o. BIRD CONTROL MEGHANISM Filed July 25, v1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l 2 2 B d u n 3 ,0M 1 3 8 n( 2 9 I 2 2 u.. m 6 M5 4 6 v52 2 2 2 .d n.. I. l 1 7 1 u l2 nfl 1 3I F C C. l 2|' 3 Q a v2 u. n i` uw I 6 an C.- :..WTQHUHHH WNIIIIIIIIUIIH HH lllmullflmv H HH 71 Y @.1 4J 1 w 1 Feb. 2, 1932. o. BIRD CONTROL MECHANISM Filed July 25, 19:50 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Feb. .2, 1932' `FFF.

CONTROL MECHANISM Application led July 25, 1930. Serial'No. 470,679.

This invention-relates to material movin and spreading devices and it has special re erence to scrapers of the revolvingtype and in particular it relates to mechanism for controlling such scrapers whereby they may Aperform their functions of scraping, loading andspreading as devised, by the operator or as required by the conditions of the earth.

In order to obtain the highestpractical efciency in an earth scraper, it is necessary to control the pivotal, or axial movement of the scraper in such a manner that it is balanced at all times, whether with a full load or part of a load and under any soil conditions. Furthermore, in order to reduce the drafton the loaded bowl which is occasioned by accumulation of the material under'the cutting edge or blade of the bowl and also to obviate the expense of moving or gathering the same dirt or material twice, it is necessary to maintain or hold the cutting Asurface of the bowl horizontal or parallel with the surface of the ground operated over after the load has been gathered. It is therefore essential to balance the scraper bowl with its load properly if afull load is to be hauled to the dump.

The primary object of this invention therefore is to provide a control mechanism for rotary Scrapers in which the loading position. and the spreading position of the bowl is always and conveniently under the control of the operator, and the movement of the bowl out of loading position is accomplished entirely automatically by the load in the bowl.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control mechanism of this character in which the stresses and strains on the. draft frame that tend to distort the same and that are'due to the drag of the bowl and the pressure of the bowl on the frame forward of the pivoting point thereof, is eliminated; to provide a control mechanism of this character in which no adjustments are necessary to adapt the device to varying soil conditions requiring different depths of cuts; to provide a device in which the adaptation of the device to varying soil condition for the purpose of varying the cut is readily and conveniently within the control of the operator during the t movement of the scraper; to provide a simple the same time leveling the surface passed 56 over during the haul of the scraper tothe dump and to provide a device of this character 1n which the actual, operating means or member for rotating the bowl is disposed in such relation thereto that thel piling up of 6o dirt will in no wise interfere with it or its operation. Finally a further object of the inventlon is to provide a scraper which may or may not be carried upon wheels.

These and other objects are accomplished 68 by a form vof the invention expressed in preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawlngs which form a part of this applicatlon, and of which t. Figrl is a plan view showing my inven- 7@ ion.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the scraper in normal position.

Fig. 3 is a side view showing the scraper in spreading or dumping position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary rear view of one of the guides,

' Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the scraper in scraping or cutting position, and

Fig. 6 is an end and side view, respectively, so of one of the oscillating stop-carrying brackets.

In a general sense, the invention consists of a bowl pivotally connected to a pair of beams, to which is pivotally connected a draft frame, and a link that is operable to control the loading, the spreading and the dumping of the load in the bowl.

In a more specific sense, my invention comprises a bowl 1, having end plates 2, a bottom cutting edge 3, and a back 4, the end plates 2 being provided with shoes 5, for carrying or supporting the empty bowl, and with trunnions 6 upon which are pivotally supported beams 7 the pivoting trunnions being inter- 95 mediate the ends of the beams. The trunnions 6 may also form axles for wheels 8, where they are employed. The front of each of the beams is provided or formed with a forked portion 9, the tines 9 of which are 10o.

downwardly directed andthe other tines 9" of which are extended in substantially a horizontal plane. In the ends of said tines 9 is journaled a shaft 10, provided at the respective ends thereof with upstanding arms 11, and intermediate the ends thereof with an upstanding lever 12 to which is attached a flexible means 13 that is extended to within reach of the operator. To said upstanding arms are pivotally connected members 14, which extend along the side or end plates 2 of the bowl and beyond the rear or back of the bowl, and are conjoined by a cross bar 15, rigidly connected with said members 14, which as seen in the drawings, pass through and are operable in guides 16, secured to the rear of the beams 7. These members 14 are longitudinally slidable in said guides 16, stop means 17 .being provided on said members 14 to hold the cross bar 15 at a determined distance from the guides for the purpose of maintaining rollers 18 mounted at and upon each end of said bar 15 in thepath of rotative movement of lugs or other projections 19 on and extended beyond the periphery of the bowl, these rollers 18 co-operating with the lugs or projections 19 to limit the extent of rotation of the bowl and hence the depth of the extreme bite into the ground or surface of which the cutting edge 3 is capable, it being noted that within the range of arcuate movement prescribed by the rollers, they may be operated by the upstanding lever 12 to vary the depth of the bite as desired or required. The' members 14 while slidably extended through the guides 16 for relative longitudinal movement therein, are restrained against vertical movement by rollers 20 provided in said guides 16 above and below the members, these rollers 20 being adjustable in said guides to predetermine the distance at which the members are to be set relatively to the beams 7, with which they are movable practically as a unit, as explained later, and relatively to which they are movable to enable the bowl to rotate to dumping or spreading position. To the downwardly directed leg or tine 9 of the forked portion 9 formed on the forward end of the beams 7 is pivotally attached a draft frame 21 that is arranged for connection with a tractor 22 in usual manner as showna The rear portion of the draft frame is bent downwardly at an angle to the horizontal and the end of this downwardly bent portion is pivotally connected to the tine 9'; the bend in the draft frame 21 is provided particularly for dirt clearance and it will be noted that the tine 9" is extended immediately over and in parallel alinement with the rear of the draft frame, such tines 9 being preferably provided with bumpers 33 that are arranged to contact with the top of the draft frame, when no pull is exerted on the draft frame. Since the height of the draw bars of various towing power units varies,

and since the connection ofthe draft frame 21 with a draw bar that is on a higher plane than the horizontal plane of the frame 21 would tend normally to tilt the bowl rearwardly with its cutting edge 3 angularly disposed'above the ground surface, and since it is desirable to maintain the cutting blade normally parallel with the ground surface, I have provided the adjustment heretofore refered to for the members 14. v

By means of adjustable stops, or abutments 23, provided on the bowl 1, and co-operating with similar stops, or abutments 24 that are controllable by the members 14 for movement into and out of the path of the stops, or abutments 23 on the bowl, the rotative motion of the bowl with a full load is stopped at that point shown in Fig. 3, in which the bottom of the bowl or its cutting edge is substantially vertical, in which position the load is spread simultaneously as it is emptied during the forward draft of the bowl. The stops, or abutments 24 for this purpose aremounted upon the inside of stirrups 25, that are pivotally mounted upon and straddle the beams 7 and embrace the members 14, which are provided with spaced lugs 26 between which are disposed the stirrups 25 and which cause said stirrups to move concurrently with said members 14 in an arcuate path as a longitudinal movement is imparted to said members 14 by rocking the shaft 10 through the medium of a horizontal lever 27 rigid with said shaft. Lever 27 is under the tension of a spring 27 and is connected with one end o f a bell crank lever 28, by a link 29, the bell crank lever 28 being pivoted in a bracket 30 that is secured to the center brace 31 of the draft frame 21 and under the government of a flexible means 32, for operating same, it being noted in Fig.

3, that the lever 12 and the bell crank lever 28 are both operated by a pull; the pull on the lever 12 rocking the beams 7 and its asso-l ciatedparts in a clockwise direction` and the pull on the bell crank lever 28 rocking the shaft 10 and through the members 14, projecting the cross rod associated therewith beyond or out of the rotative path of the lugs 19 on the bowl.

The operation of the control mechanism is substantially as follows:

Let it be assumed that the normal position of the bowl 1 is that shown in Fig. 2, from which it will be seen that the cutting edge or bottom of the bowl is parallel with the surface, and assuming that -the scraper is being dragged by the tractor, the pull or drag of the draft frame 21, on the lower or bottom tines 9 of the-beams 7, tends to elevate or rock upwardly the front ends of the beams 7, while the rear ends thereof together with the rollers 18 on the cross bar 15 are moved downwardly against the projecting stops 19 on the bowl. This pressure of the beams upward and downward,'due entirely to the drag or pull, has a tendency to rock the bowl, but this tendency is counteracted by the weight of the bowl and the surface resistance or friction and hence the cutting edge or bottom 3 remains substantially parallel with the surface over which it is dragged until caused to tilt by positive action under the control of the operator. Assumingnow that a pull is exerted upon the lever 12, such a pullv -will be transferred through the stops 17 on the members 14 to the guides 16 that are secured to the ends of the beams and upstand therefrom, while a downward pressure will be exerted through the arms 11. These influences rock the beams 7 forwardly, thereby removing the pressure of the rollers 18 from the stops 19 on the bowl 1. As the pressure of the rollers is removed, the stops 19 and the bowl 1 are free to move in an arcuate path, the tilting or tipping of the bowl about the trunnions 6 to cause the cutting edge to dig in being effected solely by the ground or surface resistance, and the angle of inclination of the cutting edge and consequently the degree or depth of bite being entirely controlled by the extent to which the rollers 18 are moved away from the bowl stops 19. Since the bar 15, frame members 14, arms 11 and shaft 10 are connected with the beams 7, as explained, it will be apparent that the rocking of the beams 7 will govern the angularity of the cutting edge and that such angularity may be varied as required by the bite during the drag of the bowl` so that the bowl may be caused to gather a full load or a partial load. rlhe dumping of the load from the bowl is eliected by permitting' the bowl to revolve in the beams 7, and the means restraining the rotary movement of the bowl, which are the rollers 18 on the cross bar 15 that is carried in the ends of the frame members 14. are controllable by the lever 28. When this bell crank lever is pulled by flexible means 32 to the position indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 3, the lever 27 is elevated against the tension of spring 27 rocking the shaft 10. The arms 11 that are rigid with the shaft 10, are thereby moved rearwardly, and with them, the frame members 14, and the roller-carrying cross bar 15 supported by said members. When the rollers 18 have been projected beyond the path of movement of the stops or lugs 19, the bowl 1, being no longer restrained, is free to revolve on its trunmons relatively to the beams 7. When the lugs or stops 19 on the bowl have passed beyond the projected rollers 18, and the flexible means 32 is released by the operator, the rollers are returned immediately to normal or operative position by the spring 27. Such return to normal position of the frame members 14, places the lugs or abutments 24 on the yolies 25 that are pivotally mounted upon the beams 7, in line with the arcuate movement of the lugs or abutments 23 that are provided on the bowl. When these lugs 23 and 24 mutually engage, the revolution of the bowl is stopped, as shown in Fig. 3, and the cutting edge 3 thereof is substantially vertical, in which position the dumped load is spread, to any thickness desired, depending upon position of the zo lugs 23 on the bowl.

When the lugs 24 are held out of the path of travel of the lugs 23, obviously the bowlwill make a complete revolution and dump its pendently of said beams to enable the bowl to I move to dumping position, and a draft frame connected with said beams.

2. A control mechanism for revolving Scrapers comprising a bowl having trunnions inthe ends thereof, beams supported upon said trunnions and relatively to which said bowl may rotate, a draft frame pivotally connected to said beams, a frame partially surrounding said bowl and pivotally connected with said beams, said frame and the rear of said bowl provided with mutually engaging means to prevent the rotation of said bowl, means to control the scraping and digging position of the bowl and means to operate the frame independently of said beams to enable the bowl to move to dumping position. v

3. In a control mechanism for Scrapers of the revolving type, a bowl, beams trunnioned thereon, a draft frame pivoted to said beams, a frameconnected to Said beams and partially surrounding said bowl, the rear of said bowl and frame provided with mutually engaging means to prevent the rotation of said bowl, means to rock said beams to enable the bowl to rotate to scraping and digging position, and means to move said frame independently of said beams to enable said bowl to rotate to dumping position.

4. In a control mechanism for Scrapers of the revolving type, a bowl having lugs, beams trunnioned thereon, a draft frame pivoted to said beams, a frame mounted upon said beams and provided with means co-operating with the lugs on said bowl to hold the bowl against rotation, means to rock said beams and frame to space the means on the frame from the lugs on the bowl and thereby permit the bowl to tilt, and means to operate said frame independently of said beams to remove the means thereon out of co-operative range of the lugs on the bowl, thereby to en'- able the bowl to move to dumping position.

5. In a control mechanism for Scrapers 0f the revolving type, a bowl provided with fixed and adjustable lugs, beams trunnioned on said bowl, and provided rearwardly thereof with guides, a draft frame pivotally connected to said beams, a frame pivotally connected to said beams and having members extending through said guides,said frame having means co-operating with said fixed lugs to hold the bowl against rotation, means to rock said beams and frame to enable the bowl to tilt to digging or scraping position, means to operate the frame to remove the means thereon out of line with the fixed lugs on said bowl to enable the bowl to rotate, and means on the beams and engageable by the adjustable lugs on the bowl to limit the rotation of the bowl.

6. In a control mechanism for Scrapers of the revolving type, a bowl, wheels supporting the bowl, beams trunnioned on and extending forwardly of said bowl, a draft frame connected to said beams, a shaft carried by in said beams, a pair of members pivotally connected to said shaft and conjoined by a cross-bar extending rearwardly of the bowl, mutually engaging means on said bowl and cross-bar to prevent the rotation of said bowl, means to operate said shaft in one direction to rock said beams and enable the bowl to rotate to digging or scraping position, and means to operate said shaft in another direction to move saidmembers independently of said beams and thereby enable the bowl to rotate to dumping position.

7. In a control mechanism for Scrapers of the revolving type, a bowl, wheels supporting the bowl, beams. trunnioned on the bowl, a draft frame connected to said beams, a frame pivotally mounted on said beams, mutually engaging means on said frame and bowl to hold the bowl against rotation, means to move the beams about said trunnions t o rock the bowl to scraping or digging pos1- tion and means to move said frame to enable said bowl to revolve to dumping position.

In testimony whereof I have set my hand.

LEN O. BIRD. 

